Sorry for the lateness! Graduation came up and I've been spending most of my time with family. w' Enough of me though, let's get into the fanfic!
Chapter four – Murder Mystery?
~Sunset. Elder Village~
"So, how much does it cost for carriages around here?" I ask randomly. "I don't know how long it'll take with us walking so..." She turns around with five fingers up. I raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Around five thousand depending on the distance" she says. T-that much? Man, carriages must be really comfortable if they're charging that much for a simple ride. A price like that should go to something more valuable than a simple ride. "If you're wondering why the price is so high, it's because of the things going around. Times are a bit hard around here."
"I see..." I check my pocket for my wallet, only to not find it. What happened to my wallet? I could have sworn it was in my pocket the whole time. Maybe it fell out when I jumped into the water? I sigh as I continue following Aria.
We pass by a few shops, two of them being restaurants. My stomach growls at me as I smell the sweet scent of freshly baked cookies. The smell puts me in a trance as I notice myself moving closer. "Seta?" Aria's voice drags me back to reality as I slowly look at her.
I quickly clear my throat and fix my posture. "So, where exactly are we going?" She points toward the forest up ahead. "O-oh... the forest..." My expression changes into a disgusted one.
"Got a problem?" I shake my head no and she turns around. Guess it'll be my first time sleeping in the forest... I suppose I should try and get used to it, I think as I follow Aria. The door to a store opens up, the light shining on our faces. We turn to see a middle-aged man, curly brown hair and black eyes, in the doorway.
"What are you kids doing out here? You should be inside instead of wondering the streets!" he says with a voice that sounds as though it's on the brink of panic. Aria speaks before I have a chance of saying anything.
"We're going to Bethma village."
"This late in the day even with all that's going on?!" I raise an eyebrow. What is he talking about? "Come, get inside!" He hurries behind us and begins pushing us in. He closes the door. "Stay here for the night. I'll even have a room prepared for the both of you." I blink twice at him as he walks over to the counter where a big book is sitting there, open. Apparently, this is an inn.
"I guess we're staying here for the night?" I question as I look at Aria. She shrugs her head and sits at one of the empty tables. I follow her and take a seat on the opposite side of her. "So, any idea what's going in this village?"
"Well, there was some talk about people being kidnapped at night, but that's about it" she replies. I let out a sigh as a girl with short black hair comes over and sits down at our table. "And you are?"
"Sayuri. Pleasure to meet you both" she replies with a wink. "I overheard you two questioning the recent kidnappings."
"You know about them?" I ask and she nods. "Catch us up to speed, if you don't mind."
"Well for starters, this has been happening for two weeks. Every night around midnight, women and kids would be taken away from a mysterious figure that one person has seen and escaped from. Yesterday makes twenty six people."
"This is quite serious…" I turn toward the floor. What if we help out with the search? I think before turning to Aria who raises an eyebrow. "How about we assist with the search? We can possibly figure out who this person is and catch 'em.
"I'll even join in, evening any odds" Sayuri tells us.
"Sure. Our original plan of getting to Bethma got shot down so this is something else we can do" Aria replies.
"Great! Since we're doing this, I have the perfect plan."
I stare down at Aria from the comfort of a rooftop. "I hate this stupid plan" Aria comments. Sayuri giggles as I give her a nervous smile. "Why couldn't it be one of you two?"
"Well, Seta's a guy and I came up with the plan. I say this is fair in terms of roles to play" Sayuri replies. I hear Aria growl and then a footstep in the distance. Immediately, I look to the right and see a figure walking toward Aria.
She notices and looks at the figure as well. "Awfully suspicious there" she starts. "Who are you and what are you doing?" The person remains quiet. "And now you aren't speaking." The person then goes into a sprint which makes Aria take a step back. "W-what are you-"She gets cut off by the person grabbing her and running off.
"Time to move Seta!" Sayuri shouts as I get up and jump to the building following the path of the kidnapper. The person makes a sharp right down an alley which causes me to jump off the building to continue the chase.
"Let her go you creep!" I shout as my right pistol forms in my hand and I shoot toward the person's foot. It causes them to stumble and almost fall, but they continue moving. I clench my teeth as I keep up the pace.
"Bait 'em from taking the next alley to the right" Sayuri says from behind me. I nod, quickening my pace and watching for the turn attempt. Once the person goes for it, I let off three shots which makes them continue on the main path. Perfect! Sayuri drops down from the building with her weapon, a rapier, at the person. "Don't move! Give up and turn yourself in."
The person pulls out a dagger and throws it at Sayuri who dodges by jumping back. He then turns to me before I realize what's going on and turn around, the crack in Freiturnier taking the damage from the person's hidden dagger. I punch the person in the gut which makes them almost drop Aria. "Too close" I say as I pull Aria from their grasp.
The person then makes a run for it again, the three of us chasing them this time. They head in the direction of a house with a giant lock on it. Hideout maybe? Can't let them get in! Both pistols materialize and I stand still, taking shots at the person's legs. Two of my four shots take out their right left, making them fall before reaching the door. "Sayuri, go get the guards. Aria and I will watch 'em" I say as I approach the person, one gun aimed at their left leg and the other at their head.
"You've got a lot of explaining to do" one of the guards say as him and the other guards take the kidnapper away.
"You kids did well out there. Great job catching the crook" another one says to us as he walks over. "Here, you've earned it." He drops a pouch with coins in it into my hands. "Two million in there. Enjoy yourselves." He then walks off and I look back at the girls.
"With that, we can get a fancier hotel for the night" Aria says.
"You guys are still going to Bethma right? Mind if I tag along for a while?" Sayuri asks. Aria and I both nod which makes her smile. "Sweetness!"
"Can we stop off somewhere in the morning for clothes? I'm gonna need something other than my armor since that dagger made the crack worse" I ask.
"Sure, we'll go first thing in the morning" Aria replies as we begin looking for a new hotel.
:D